This invention relates to systems for causing one or more spray nozzle support arms to traverse a path which circumscribes an object such as an automobile as well as to operating methods therefor. The invention and the various sub-combinations thereof are advantageously applied to a vehicle laundry of the rollover type.
The manufacture, sale and operation of automobile laundering equipment is big business in the United States and many other countries. The term xe2x80x9cautomobile launderingxe2x80x9d, as used herein, refers to wet washing the external surfaces of virtually any type of vehicle from ordinary passenger cars to busses, trucks, vans and even train cars and airplanes. Moreover, the principles and structures described herein can be applied to any fluid spray system including, by way of example, painting, prepping and corrosion-proofing.
One of the most popular forms of vehicle laundering equipment is the so-called xe2x80x9crolloverxe2x80x9d washer which is characterized by a washing structure which moves over or around a vehicle parked in a pre-specified area. Rollover equipment typically occupies less space than the traditional tunnel or conveyor washer and is often preferred by car dealers, service stations and convenience stores with collateral vehicle laundries for that reason.
Rollover washers can have brushes which contact the surfaces of the vehicle; see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,983 issued Feb. 25, 1969 to R. Seakan and U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,284 issued Jun. 12, 1984 to R. Schleeter. An alternative approach, preferred by many because of the absence of physical contact between the washing apparatus and the vehicle, is the pressure washer, an example of which is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,662 issued May 21, 1999 to Crotts and Rambo. Another example is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,557 issued Nov. 10, 1992 to L. Scheiter.
The Seakan, Schleeter, Crotts et al and Scheiter systems are all of the xe2x80x9cgantryxe2x80x9d type; i.e., they all involve the use of an arch-shaped structure which rolls forward and backward along spaced, parallel floor tracks while passing over the vehicle. Crotts et al recognizes the desirability of laterally adjusting the position of the spray bars on one side of the arch according to variations in vehicle width.
Non-gantry pressure washers are also known in the art. One such washer comprises an overhead support for an inverted L-shaped spray arm which carries both vertically and horizontally-aimed spray nozzles and which can move longitudinally, laterally, and pivotally to circumscribe a parked vehicle. The pivot point for the spray arm is essentially at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal legs of the arm. This creates certain inefficiencies; for example, when traversing the side of a vehicle, the arm goes beyond the rear end of the vehicle stops and pivots 90xc2x0 to begin a sweep of the rear surface. In so doing, the downwardly-directed nozzles cover a sector-shaped area of the trunk lid three times and the horizontally-directed nozzles spray into empty space for a significant period of time. At a minimum, this is wasteful of chemicals.
The present invention provides an apparatus for spraying fluids onto the external surfaces of an object which is stationary in a predetermined treatment area, e.g., an automobile parked in a laundering area, by causing one or more arm-like spray nozzle carriers to move through a path which causes a set of vertically-arranged, horizontally projecting fluid nozzles to substantially circumscribe the object while a set of horizontally-arranged, vertically projecting fluid nozzles cover the plan-view area of the object. Fluid is supplied to the nozzles with additives and pressures chosen and regulated to achieve the desired result. Coverage of the object is achieved in part by rotation of the nozzle carrier or carriers and in part by linear translation of the carrier or carriers via a carriage mounted on an overhead track which also provides structural support.
In the hereinafter-illustrated forms, the apparatus of the subject invention comprises at least one inverted L-shaped spray nozzle carrier which is pivotally mounted at or near the inboard distal end thereof to a powered pivot system which in turn is mounted on an overhead carriage for longitudinal movement over and relative to the vehicle. The combination of pivotal and longitudinal movements are such as to cause the arm and the nozzles therefor to circumscribe an object in the laundering area, thus to provide full coverage but without undesirable overlap.
In the preferred and fully accessorized embodiment, the carriage arrangement provides for lateral as well as longitudinal displacement of the pivot center relative to the treatment area. With this capability, pivotal movement, lateral movement, longitudinal movement and pressure selection may be programmably coordinated to perform high pressure treatment cycles at optimal distances from the side surfaces of the treated object while low pressure cycles are carried out in such a way as to promote efficiency through time saving. By way of example, a dual spray arm system affords simultaneous coverage of both sides of a vehicle in a laundering area during that portion of a cycle in which fluid is sprayed at low pressure. The nozzle-carrying arms move in mirror-image or xe2x80x9cbutterflyxe2x80x9d fashion to achieve maximum coverage while the pivot center for the arms moves along a line corresponding with the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. However, for the high-pressure phase, the left and right arms of a two-arm system are activated separately and each arm is placed at optimal nozzle-to-vehicle spacing during its operating time.
The spray apparatus is shown herein in combination with an overhead, fixed support structure preferably constructed of aluminum beams. The illustrative structure comprises spaced-apart, parallel longitudinal beams adjustably clamped to cross beams which are in turn adjustably clamped to vertical corner posts to facilitate installation as well as to tailor system size as desired.
Further describing the preferred embodiment; i.e., the embodiment having the greatest number of features, a carriage is mounted on spaced-apart, parallel longitudinal overhead beams for movement therealong. Longitudinal translation is provided by means of wheels, preferably coated on contact surfaces to reduce wear, and driven to provide controlled displacement at selected times in a wash/rinse cycle sequence as programmed. Within the carriage, a shuttle is provided for lateral or cross-wise movement over beams bolted between end plates on the carriage structure. The shuttle carries the pivot structure for the spray arms as well as the pivot drive motor and the shuttle drive mechanism, all of which are controlled to follow programs residing in, for example, the memory of a programmable digital processor.
Drive motor speed as well as pressure variations are preferably controlled by generating variable frequency control signals and applying those signals to suitable devices such as pumps and ac motors.
Object edge position inputs are provided, for example, by optical or sonic signal-emitting components such as photo cells and sonar transducers, or combinations thereof, all readily commercially available, mounted on the spray arms and various other places. The position signals are fed to the processor to locate the centerline and outside edges; i.e., peripheral surfaces, of the vehicle to direct the system to perform the longitudinal, lateral and pivotal motions in a correlated way. For components, such as the spray arms, which pivot or rotate, commercially available encoders are used to generate pulses indicating increments of angular motion. These pulses are readily counted and the counts converted into distance quantities so that the position of the spray arms can be determined and controlled at all times.
The preferred system is user-programmable, data-collecting, and fault-detecting. The input devices mentioned above together with limit switches, flow meters and the like, define a home position for the carriage, the shuttle and the spray arms. All movements are referenced to the home position and the system may default to it in the event of a loss of signal.
The spray nozzles are suitably attached to supply hoses and conduit made flexible and pivotal to accommodate movement between fixed supply tanks and movable spray arms. Where multiple chemicals are used in sequence, supply valves are timed to cause one chemical to be purged or spent from the system prior to beginning another pass calling for another chemical or treated water.
Various other features and advantages of the invention are hereinafter described. For example, the spray arms are provided with multi-axis xe2x80x9cbreakawayxe2x80x9d sections which xe2x80x9cgivexe2x80x9d non-destructively in the event of encountering obstructions and provide a fault-indicating signal to shut down system operation until a correction is made.